Fiber and Wireless – Stronger Together for Community Broadband

Google in June stunned some in the broadband world by acquiring wireless provider Webpass and “momentarily” exiting the fiber stage. Hybrid wired/wireless networks became the Next Big Thing – for a month. But what if hybrid infrastructure is the key that unlocks the doors to the next level of community broadband success? This report makes a business case for hybrid infrastructure by assessing community broadband in a historical context, as well as the capabilities of today’s fiber and wireless. Past and current projects can teach us how to get more value from broadband technologies that communities use. It’s time to talk about hybrids because the technologies are stronger together when tackling the opportunities and challenges of community broadband.